Coordinate regulation of neuroendocrine convertase PC2 and peptide 7B2 in P19 neurons

Convertases are proteases responsible for the bioactivation of many proteins and peptides having a potential role in ontogenesis. As a model to study regulation of convertases in embryo, we use the P19 embryonal carcinoma cell line, which can differentiate into various cell types. The expression of convertase PC2 and its specific binding peptide 7B2 are co-induced during neuronal differentiation of P19 cells. We investigated the possibility that expression of both proteins may be coregulated by T3 and dexamethasone, activators of nuclear receptors, isobutylmethylxanthine, and dibutyryl cAMP, activators of protein kinase A, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, an activator of protein kinase C. Western blotting results show that expression of PC2 and 7B2 can be upregulated by modulators of the protein kinases, and upregulation needs not be strictly stoichiometric.